Estate taxes often garner a lot of attention - particularly in an election year when the threat of raising taxes routinely becomes a political focal point. The estate tax, 40% at the federal level,[1] aptly referred to as the "death tax," does have the potential to be quite devastating. However, it is important to put the estate tax in the proper context. Instead of worrying about how much the Government will take from taxpayers' estates when they die, taxpayers should focus on what they can do now to protect their assets. More >